Virginia's governor-elect pledges support for farmers and agribusiness sector

By Jeff Ishee

December 15, 2025 - Virginia’s next gubernatorial inauguration will take place on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at the State Capitol in Richmond. Abigail Spanberger will be sworn in as Virginia’s 75th governor, becoming the first woman to hold the office.

Governor-elect Spanberger has made agriculture and rural Virginia central to her platform, pledging strong support for farmers, producers, and agribusinesses.

On December 3, the Richmond Times-Dispatch quoted her as saying, “Agriculture is the number-one private industry in Virginia. Our Commonwealth deserves dedicated leadership that brings Virginia crop and livestock producers, foresters, business leaders, and community members together to protect and grow this critical sector of our economy.”

Spanberger seems aware of the current trade challenges facing Virginia farmers. She warns that tariffs have put Virginia farmers “in a real bind.” A quote from WTKR at a recent Hampton Roads Chamber Annual Meeting includes: “I am hearing from our farmers. Our producers are small business owners who are feeling the pain of tariffs.”

She told Virginia Farm Bureau's Real Virginia "I want to ensure that I am uplifting the voices of Virginia's farmers and producers that we are fully funding our BMPs, recognizing the value that they have, on farms across Virginia, particularly as we might see changes in federal conservation programs, and ultimately ensuring that through the aphid program, we are bringing additional investment, to communities and farms across Virginia in a way that will meaningfully impact, certainly, Virginia's agricultural community."

Governor-elect Abigail Spanberger has made numerous promises and pledges concerning the industry of agriculture. Image Credit - Virginia Farm Bureau

According to Spanberger’s website, her priorities include:

• Representation for farmers: Spanberger served as the only Virginian on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, where she consistently advocated for rural communities and Virginia’s number-one private industry — agriculture.

• Trade & Market Access: She has promised to address trade concerns and expand Virginia farmers’ access to both domestic and foreign markets, ensuring producers can compete globally.

• Capital & Financial Support: Spanberger emphasizes increasing access to capital for crop and livestock producers, helping family farms remain viable in the face of rising costs.

• Family Farm Protection: She has pledged to champion policies that safeguard Virginia’s family farms and rural economy, recognizing their role in sustaining communities.

• Broadband & Infrastructure: Recognizing that modern farming depends on connectivity, she has committed to expanding high-speed internet access across rural Virginia, supporting education, telehealth, and agribusiness operations.

• Healthcare in Rural Areas: Spanberger links farm sustainability to community health, promising investments in rural healthcare providers and telehealth services.

• Extension & Research Programs: In her Virginia Farm Bureau interview, she highlighted the importance of Virginia’s extension programs and local research to support growers and foresters.

Recognition

Spanberger is a multi-year recipient of the “Friend of Farm Bureau Award” from the Virginia Farm Bureau, underscoring her credibility with agricultural stakeholders.

Spanberger's Choice for Sec. of Agriculture and Forestry

Governor-elect Spanberger has chosen Katie Frazier as the Commonwealth's next Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry. It was a selection widely supported by industry participants. Matt Lohr serves as the current Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry in Virginia and told On the Farm Radio that Frazier “has been just a longtime advocate for agriculture. I’ve known Katie since she was in high school, and I couldn’t be more pleased with the selection,” he said.

Spanberger's career timeline

• 1979 – Born August 7 in Red Bank, New Jersey.

• Spanberger’s family moved to Short Pump, Virginia when she was 13, after her father transitioned from local policing to federal law enforcement with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

• Mid-1990s – Attended John Randolph Tucker High School in Henrico County, Virginia. Served as a page for U.S. Senator Chuck Robb during this time.

• 1997–2001 – Attended the University of Virginia, earning a B.A. in French language and literature.

• 2002 – Completed MBA at Purdue University’s Krannert School of Management and GISMA Business School in Germany.

• Early 2000s – Worked as a substitute English teacher in Northern Virginia.

• 2002–2006 – Served as a U.S. Postal Inspector, focusing on narcotics and money laundering investigations.

• 2006–2014 – Joined the CIA as an operations officer, serving undercover for eight years in counterterrorism, nuclear proliferation, and transnational crime.

• 2018 – Elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Virginia’s 7th District.

• 2019–2025 – Served three terms in Congress, noted for bipartisan work and membership in the national security-focused “Mod Squad.”

• 2025 – Elected Governor of Virginia, becoming the first woman to hold the office.